Incident
The aircraft was returning to Nha Trang after completing an airlift mission when it was shot down by enemy fire under unclear circumstances. The crash occurred approximately 25 kilometers south of Cam Ranh Bay, resulting in the destruction of the aircraft and the deaths of all five individuals on board.
Crew
The crew members who died in the crash were identified as Captain Jerome Joseph Smith, 1st Lieutenant James Howard Graff, 1st Lieutenant David Albert Thorpe, Staff Sergeant Raymond Lee Wheeler, and Airman First Class Billy Jack Clayton.
Official Findings
According to the investigation, the probable cause of the accident was that the aircraft was shot down by enemy fire.